Lay Down and Rest
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: A vignette. After sailing to Valinor at the end of the Third Age, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins begin to be healed of their Ring-induced weariness by the great healer, Estë the Gentle.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own The Silmarillion or The Lord of the Rings; they are the property of the Tolkien Estate.

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"Welcome to the gardens of my spouse, Lórien, and to my island home in the lake of Lórellin, Frodo son of Drogo and Bilbo son of Bungo," said the tall, angelic woman standing before the two Ring-bearers.

The two Hobbits had completed their journey over the Western Sea, and after one night and day of an introduction to the inhabitants of Valimar, not to mention a surprising look at one of Gandalf's (Olórin as he was now named) much fairer and more youthful forms, Olórin led Frodo and sleepy Bilbo to the home of his Vala master, Irmo of Lórien. But it was not Irmo who the Hobbits were to associate with this evening, although Olórin did introduce his lord to the Hobbits when they arrived.

They were there to see Irmo's spouse, Estë the Gentle, healer of hurts and of weariness. And as she roused from her daily slumber and stood before them, tall but not imposing, clad in grey, they looked at the beautiful healer with astonishment and awe.

"Frodo Baggins at your service, Lady Estë," said Frodo with complete respect and reverence. "Bilbo Baggins at your service, too, Estë of Lórien," said Bilbo a moment later, and they both bowed.

Estë smiled warmly. "There is no need for either of you two to offer me your services," she said. "You have already done more than enough service as the bearers of the Ring of Doom. Here, it is I who offer _you_ my service, for I can sense the old pain of your three wounds, Frodo, as well as the weariness of your long burden. And I can see that your master, Bilbo, is also in need of relief from the perpetual weariness of his sleepy condition. Come," and she led them to the great bed that she built for her subjects and patients, "I want you two to lie together on this bed, lay down your sweet and weary heads, and I will refresh you from the memory of your burden and the pain of your wounds."

Frodo and Bilbo obeyed unquestioningly, lying down on the soft bed, face up, and Estë the Healer went to work. She gently stripped Frodo of his tunic and elven cloak with his consent, and gently put one of her seemingly delicate hands on the knife wound Frodo had received from the Nazgûl Lord.

As she put her healing power into the wound, Frodo began to feel much of the old pain subside, and relief came to his body. It astounded him, this power that one of the Valar had at her disposal to heal wounds that could never be healed in Middle-earth. Estë's hands and pale-skinned body were evidently much stronger than they looked. Then she moved on to his sting and bite wounds from Shelob and Gollum, and he felt the power again. Even though he missed his dear Sam, Frodo smiled with a feeling of bliss that he had never felt in such a long time, possibly never.

Estë smiled down on him and said, "I have eased the pain of your wounds for a little while. Alas, it will take more than this one session to bring complete peace of mind and body to you, Frodo, but for now, we have all the time in the world. Now, you are in need of much rest after a festive day in Valimar, and I shall grant it to you and your uncle tonight. Close your eyes and relax, both of you, and I shall put you into a slumber through which no evil thoughts, memories, or dreams will trouble you. My husband, Irmo, will see to giving you your peaceful dreams."

Estë put Frodo's tunic and cloak back on him, and wrapped the cloak around his body to warm him, soon doing the same with Bilbo's own dwarf cloak given to him by Dwalin so long ago. Then she breathed her sweet breath over them, and said, "Sleep, my dear little Shire-lings, and forget for this night the burden and the weariness that the Ruling Ring has forced you to endure for so long."

Frodo and Bilbo were soon sound asleep, and Irmo put some of his power into them, so that, as his wife said, no evil visions or remembrances of evil things would plague them that night.

And as they slept, Estë the Gentle, healer of hurts and of weariness, would be watching over them the whole time, until they woke blissfully in the morning and returned to exploring Valinor, and she herself would sleep again by the light of day until the next Hobbit healing session came that night.


End file.
